DOHALAND is taking part in the one of the world’s largest expositions to be held in Shanghai, China. As part of the Qatar Pavilion, the developer is showcasing its Musheireb project as well as developing international relations and opportunities within.
Open between May and October 2010, under the slogan ‘Better City, Better Life’ the Expo is currently attracting up to 240,000 visitors per day. A staggering 7 million visitors are expected throughout the duration of the Expo which ends on October 31st, 2010.
The Qatar Pavilion highlights the loss of traditional architecture throughout modern times. This is an issue directly addressed via the design and planning of DOHALAND’s Musheireb project which has endeavored to create a ‘new architectural language’ for the region. The Qatar Pavilion itself is built to resemble a historical fort.
In a film that forms the centerpiece of the pavilion, Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned said, “The development of traditional architecture in the state of Qatar has stopped. Therefore we began to import everything associated with western architecture.” Sheikha Mozah also calls for a reinvigoration of traditional design in a modern context. Musheireb is redeveloping the heart of the Doha using a community-based architecture, one that is designed for a sustainability that has been lacking through the recent ‘skyscraper’ culture of development.
The new architectural language being adopted will ensure that new developments reflect Qatar’s culture and heritage and incorporate traditional designs and architecture. This new architecture and design code will provide the framework for new developments to remain visually faithful to Qatar’s architectural heritage and aesthetic identity, while also encompassing the culture, traditions, and values of a unified society in their very design. These ideas include extended families, kinship ties, societal activism, local economy, collective identity, and a high degree of environmental awareness.
Speaking of DOHALAND’s involvement in the Qatar Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo 2010, Imad Nached, Marketing Director of DOHALAND said, “The Qatar Pavilion has been planned and executed to educate visitors on the heritage and traditions of Qatar. From seagoing traditions and Bedouin lifestyles, as well as displaying handicrafts and re-enactments of sights and sounds associated with desert life.
The DOHALAND ethos is to converge the tradition and sense of the past, our heritages and architecture, into modern living and working spaces that nod back to the traditions of our ancestors as well as looking forward to future generations who will be able to enjoy the sustainable communities that reflect their country’s culture. It is an ideal partnership therefore, that we are able to display the Musheireb project here in the Qatar Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo and support international interests and relations.”
The QR 20 Billion Musheireb development aims to revive the old commercial centre of the city of Doha. The master plan of the project was a result of years of research culminating in a new architectural language where modern, innovative technologies and ideas can blended with the best of the Qatari past to create developments and communities that truly represent the spirit and culture of the people of Qatar. The development is adhering to high green building standards, with a projected gold LEED rating, while sustainability technologies and practices prevail throughout. The construction contract for Phase 1A of the project was awarded recently to a consortium of Hyundai Engineering and HBK Contracting, with a 2012 expected completion date. The entire project is to be completed by 2016.
